Artemis's Forgotten Son | Teen Ink

Artemis's Forgotten Son

May 7, 2013
By Tahoma, Maple Valley, Washington
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Tahoma, Maple Valley, Washington
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Characters:

Effluo – His name means ‘Forgotten’ in Latin. Effluo’s right eye is silver, while his left eye is blue gray. He also has silver white hair; his magic power is shape-shifting into animals only and not humans. His symbol is a white stag. Effluo plays a silver flute, the only thing he has left of his mother.

Alexander – Alexander is Effluo’s traveling companion and best friend. Secretly, Alexander knows that Artemis is Effluo’s mother but keeps the secret to himself as he has a rivalry with both Artemis and Zoë. Alexander is not very strong; he cannot lift heavy things, instead he relies on magic. He also has the power to open portals from anywhere and he also has the power to manipulate things but only on full moons. He has blonde-brown hair and green eyes. He is the messenger between the Egyptian, Roman and Greek gods, his father is Paht the Egyptian god of Creation. His symbol is a silver globe.

Artemis – She is the Greek goddess of the Hunt. Artemis has thirteen Huntresses in training with Zoë as her Chief Huntress. Her mortal form has silver eyes and silver gray hair. Her symbol is a silver stag.

Zoë – She is Artemis’s Chief Huntress. She has been with Artemis since they were born. She wears a silver cloak which can turn into any tool and conceal her bow and arrows when she is in her mortal form. Her symbol is a silver bow.

Apollo – He is Artemis’s twin brother and is the Greek god of the Sun. He has a car which can turn into any vehicle he needs when it is most convenient and drives the sun in his golden chariot. He also has a golden harp which can control the elements. His mortal form has amber eyes and golden blonde hair. His symbol is a golden raven.

Visto Visum – His name Visto means ‘already seen’ and Visum means ‘vision’ in Latin. Visto Visum is the Greek god of Visions. His mortal form has stone gray eyes and black hair. He has a portable crystal ball which can disguise itself as a perfectly round marble; it can look into people’s pasts as well as their futures. He cannot lie, he can only tell the truth. He goes by either Visto, or Visum.

“What do you mean I have a son?!” demanded Artemis slamming her hand down onto the stone table.
“Artemis, I thought you took a vow to never have relations with men?” asked Visto, ignoring Artemis’s question.
“I never did! I have taken a vow! A broken vow is punishable by death!” shouted Artemis.
“Artemis, calm down. If you like, I can look into your past” offered Visto.
“You dare offend the great Artemis with your lies?” asked Artemis her crystal blue eyes having ice in them.
“Artemis, you can choose to run away from the truth or you can face them” replied Visto calmly.
“I will not be lied to by you. You are my cousin and I am very disappointed in you” said Artemis as she turned to leave.
“I do not and cannot lie. That’s why I was given the gift of seeing visions, past, present and future” replied Visto.
“Good bye, Visto” whispered Artemis as she climbed into her chariot.



Why would my own cousin lie to me? Asked Artemis to herself, I can’ possibly have a son! It’s against my vow and I would never break my own vow! Artemis sighed and she sat down in her cave. Not noticing that Zoë was right above her.
“Is something bothering you?” asked Zoë as she let herself slide down from the wall onto Artemis’s lap.
“Yeah, my own cousin lied to me!” muttered Artemis.
“Which one?” asked Zoë.
“Visto” replied Artemis.
“You do know that he cannot lie, right?” asked Zoë, “He can only tell the truth”.
“You to?!” demanded Artemis standing up quickly, banging her head against the ceiling of the cave.
“What?” asked Zoë innocently.
“Both of you say that he cannot lie!” snapped Artemis.
“Must I call upon the great Zeus to convince you?” asked Zoë. Artemis shook her head, and sighed again.
“No. Don’t, it’s not necessary” replied Artemis.
“Do you need me to go?’ asked Zoë.
“I must turn in so that I can go hunting with you guys tomorrow night” replied Artemis, nodding.
“Very well my Lady. Sleep well” said Zoë.


………………………………………………


That morning, Artemis could hardly sleep. For her dreams were filled with Visto Visum telling her that she had a son. And her holding her son but not being able to see his face, she only heard his laughter.
Another dream was of her running along with her Huntresses on a hunt. They were running after a boy who had stolen food right off of Zoë’s plate. Suddenly a cliff came into view and the boy turned around to face them and fight for the food. Artemis called her Huntresses to a halt, as they had him trapped with nowhere to go, and a cliff to his back.
“Who are you boy? And why did you steal from Zoë’s plate?” asked Artemis.
“I am nothing but a mere orphan trying to feed himself. I saw the steak and I decided to steal it” replied the boy. His clothes were made of rags and his feet were covered in blood from being in the snow.
“Have you no parents? A name or food?” asked Artemis.
“I said I have no parents!” snapped the boy. Zoë stepped forward as if to slap the boy but was stopped by Artemis.
“I don’t think he means to be disrespectful. He is only hungry and frightened. Continue talking boy” ordered Artemis.
“My name? I don’t have a name. I have no food” replied the boy.
“Boy, stop wasting her time and tell her the truth!” snapped Zoë.
“I have no name!” snapped the boy. Angered, Zoë raised her already armed bow and fired for the meat in the boy’s hand.
“NO!” shouted Artemis, as the arrow went through the piece of meat and ripped it from the boy’s grip. The boy cried out and jumped over the cliff.
Artemis suddenly, sat up, awake.
“I must go to Visto” whispered Artemis.








“What do you mean I have a son?!” demanded Artemis slamming her hand down onto the stone table.
“Artemis, I thought you took a vow to never have relations with men?” asked Visto, ignoring Artemis’s question.
“I never did! I have taken a vow! A broken vow is punishable by death!” shouted Artemis.
“Artemis, calm down. If you like, I can look into your past” offered Visto.
“You dare offend the great Artemis with your lies?” asked Artemis her crystal blue eyes having ice in them.
“Artemis, you can choose to run away from the truth or you can face them” replied Visto calmly.
“I will not be lied to by you. You are my cousin and I am very disappointed in you” said Artemis as she turned to leave.
“I do not and cannot lie. That’s why I was given the gift of seeing visions, past, present and future” replied Visto.
“Good bye, Visto” whispered Artemis as she climbed into her chariot.



Why would my own cousin lie to me? Asked Artemis to herself, I can’ possibly have a son! It’s against my vow and I would never break my own vow! Artemis sighed and she sat down in her cave. Not noticing that Zoë was right above her.
“Is something bothering you?” asked Zoë as she let herself slide down from the wall onto Artemis’s lap.
“Yeah, my own cousin lied to me!” muttered Artemis.
“Which one?” asked Zoë.
“Visto” replied Artemis.
“You do know that he cannot lie, right?” asked Zoë, “He can only tell the truth”.
“You to?!” demanded Artemis standing up quickly, banging her head against the ceiling of the cave.
“What?” asked Zoë innocently.
“Both of you say that he cannot lie!” snapped Artemis.
“Must I call upon the great Zeus to convince you?” asked Zoë. Artemis shook her head, and sighed again.
“No. Don’t, it’s not necessary” replied Artemis.
“Do you need me to go?’ asked Zoë.
“I must turn in so that I can go hunting with you guys tomorrow night” replied Artemis, nodding.
“Very well my Lady. Sleep well” said Zoë.


………………………………………………


That morning, Artemis could hardly sleep. For her dreams were filled with Visto Visum telling her that she had a son. And her holding her son but not being able to see his face, she only heard his laughter.
Another dream was of her running along with her Huntresses on a hunt. They were running after a boy who had stolen food right off of Zoë’s plate. Suddenly a cliff came into view and the boy turned around to face them and fight for the food. Artemis called her Huntresses to a halt, as they had him trapped with nowhere to go, and a cliff to his back.
“Who are you boy? And why did you steal from Zoë’s plate?” asked Artemis.
“I am nothing but a mere orphan trying to feed himself. I saw the steak and I decided to steal it” replied the boy. His clothes were made of rags and his feet were covered in blood from being in the snow.
“Have you no parents? A name or food?” asked Artemis.
“I said I have no parents!” snapped the boy. Zoë stepped forward as if to slap the boy but was stopped by Artemis.
“I don’t think he means to be disrespectful. He is only hungry and frightened. Continue talking boy” ordered Artemis.
“My name? I don’t have a name. I have no food” replied the boy.
“Boy, stop wasting her time and tell her the truth!” snapped Zoë.
“I have no name!” snapped the boy. Angered, Zoë raised her already armed bow and fired for the meat in the boy’s hand.
“NO!” shouted Artemis, as the arrow went through the piece of meat and ripped it from the boy’s grip. The boy cried out and jumped over the cliff.
Artemis suddenly, sat up, awake.
“I must go to Visto” whispered Artemis.

Chapter 2


“So, have you accepted the truth?’ asked Visto as he looked up from his crystal ball.

“I haven’t accepted anything. I just need you to look into my past” replied Artemis.

“Even if you don’t like the answers of which you seek?” asked Visto.

“Yes” replied Artemis.

“What brings you back in the first place?” asked Visto.

“Dreams” answered Artemis.

“Ah, that is most common reason as to why I receive visits” replied Visto.

“Please, just look” pleaded Artemis.

“Very well” replied Visto. He looked down into his crystal ball and his eyes glazed over, he appeared to be in some kind of trance to Artemis. He remained like that for fifteen minutes, Artemis began to worry.

“Visto?” asked Artemis her voice quivering.

No answer.

“Visto?” Artemis tried again, this time her voice stronger.

There was still no answer.

“Visto?” asked Artemis, this time angrily.

Again, there was no answer. Artemis stood up and began to walk to the door.

“Artemis, sit down. You keep distracting me from my search” said Visto, still in his trance like state.

“It’s been fifteen minutes!” protested Artemis.

“I almost have it. So sit down” repeated Visto.

“Fine” snapped Artemis as she sat down again.

“Ah! Here we are!” exclaimed Visto excitedly. Artemis grabbed the edges of her seat.

“What do you see?” asked Artemis.

“I see a boy running away with a piece of meat. You and your Huntresses are running after him, apparently, he stole it off of Zoë’s plate. He is frightened and yet you send your wolves after him”

“I had no choice. I had to stop him somehow” said Artemis.

“Quit interrupting. I see him stopping; for he is trapped with a cliff overlooking the ocean and you and your Huntresses, and wolves form a half circle around him. You ask him why he stole from Zoë’s plate, and who he is. He answers saying, ‘I am nothing but a mere orphan trying to feed himself. I saw the steak and I decided to steal it’.” Visto paused before continuing, “His clothes are made up of rags and he is hungry. His feet are bloodied from running in the snow with now shoes. You then ask him if he has any family, name or food. He snaps, and, Zoë steps forward to smack him and you stop her. He claims to not have a name and Zoë gets angry and tells him to stop wasting your time, again he snaps and Zoë fires her bow. He jumps off the cliff. And then it blackens” said Visto leaning backwards in his chair.

“That was my dream! There has to be more!” protested Artemis.

“What do you mean?” asked Visto.

“I mean, isn’t there more? More as to why and how he became my son? And, his name?” asked Artemis.

“Ah, that. Yes there is more. As for his name I cannot look into his past” replied Visto.

“Why not?” asked Artemis.

“I do not know this boy personally. In order for me to look into a person’s past or future, I have to meet them, in person. And I have to meet this boy before I can look into his past” replied Visto.

“Oh” said a downcast Artemis.

“But, I can look into yours for more” replied Visto.

“Please do so then” said Artemis.

“This time around, it will be faster since I have warmed up” said Visto, “please be patient”, Visto looked once more into his crystal ball.

Five minutes of silence passed.

“You jump into the sea after the boy but he hits the water before you can catch him. His head hits the bottom of the sea and he dies. You dive for him and resurface with his body and fly back up to the cliff and lay his body in light of the moon. You turn on Zoë, asking why she fired. She answers, ‘I let my anger get the best of me. I am sorry my Lady’. You reply, ‘you killed an innocent mortal! What am I supposed to do?!’, another Huntress steps forward asking, ‘should I call upon Hades and the Mighty Zeus?’. You reply, ‘I have no other choice. This boy was innocent. He was only hungry; he didn’t deserve to die’.” Visto pauses and clears his throat, before continuing. “Hades and Zeus arrive and you explain what has happened to them. Hades is outraged, and he says, ‘Brother, you cannot do this! All mortal souls belong to me! Besides, he looks happy where he is!’ Zeus replies, ‘Brother, I am the King of the Gods, even you. Artemis, Hades is right; all mortal souls belong to him, in the Underworld’ ‘He is innocent! It was an accident! Surely, there must something I can do to bring him back!’ you protest. Zeus ponders your words and is about to respond but Hades jumps in saying, ‘I thought you have vowed that you would have nothing to do with men, including boys! So, why are you so desperate to bring back this mortal?’” Visto stops again.

“Continue” ordered Artemis.

“You reply, ‘he didn’t deserve to die! He is too young! I may have taken a vow against men and boys but I also know when to display mercy!’, Zeus looks back and forth between you and Hades before saying, ‘I have come up with a solution to the problem. Artemis, if we bring back the mortal you will have to punishments to face. One for interfering with Death and the other for Zoë’s mistake’, ‘that is not fair!’ you protest, ‘how bad do you want to save this boy?’ asks Zeus, ‘bad. What are my punishments?” you ask. Zeus replies, ‘your first punishment is this; when he is back, you will be is mother and it will be your duty to watch over him but you will have no contact with him, not until he is thirteen years of age, I will erase your memory of him until then’ your mouth drops open, even Hades looks shocked, Zeus continues, ‘your second punishment is this; you will have to give a part of your mortal form’s soul to him in order for him to be brought back – that way he’ll will for sure be a demigod and with out you having any relations with men’. You are so shocked your mouth still hangs open, and then you bow, ‘if this is my destiny, then I gladly accept’” Visto finishes and looks up from his crystal ball. Artemis’s mouth is hanging open in shock at what she had heard.

“Are you okay?” asked Visto. Artemis nodded, closing her mouth.

“I need to know where he is. You told me that Zeus said that I won’t have anything to do with him until he is thirteen. So he must be thirteen now otherwise I wouldn’t have had the dream!” exclaimed Artemis.

“Exactly” replied Visto.

“I must find him! He is my son!” said Artemis

“Go to Apollo ask him for an oracle” answered Visto.

“I must. In order to find my son” whispered Artemis



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on May. 10 2013 at 9:01 pm
Barnowl14 BRONZE, Seattle, Washington
3 articles 1 photo 30 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The only time to eat diet food is while waiting for the steak to cook"- Julia Child

Is this based on the RR books? Before TTC?